as in to rein (in)
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Recent Examples of clamp down
Trump threatened to use the Insurrection Act to clamp down on protests in Minneapolis.
—
James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
The freeze seeks to clamp down on applicants likely to need public benefits.
—Mariam Khan, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2026
Rights groups and civil liberties campaigners accuse the government of a grave overreach to clamp down on legitimate protest in the country.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei signaled that security forces would clamp down on protesters after overnight marches through the streets as the country continues to see demonstrations.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clamp down
James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
The freeze seeks to clamp down on applicants likely to need public benefits.
—Mariam Khan, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2026
Rights groups and civil liberties campaigners accuse the government of a grave overreach to clamp down on legitimate protest in the country.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei signaled that security forces would clamp down on protesters after overnight marches through the streets as the country continues to see demonstrations.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clamp down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clamp down
Verb
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William Johnston, an associate professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton, previously told USA TODAY that abstaining from eating meat is also a form of penance – admitting to any wrongdoings and sins while turning back to belief in God.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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But the group was turned back by Syrian authorities to the Roj detention camp, due to unspecified procedural problems.—
Rod McGuirk,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But then, with one lap to go and the white flag already out, his Open-car competitor Corey LaJoie spun out, and instead of braking and avoiding the carnage, Mears smashed his foot on the pedal and zoomed ahead of LaJoie before the caution came out.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
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Stanton demonstrates his battery by shorting the coils, which halts the pendulum due to the magnetic field’s braking effect.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There have been performances this year where Cowan has been holding back the tears, unable to separate himself from the emotion.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Fully aware of how costly the mistake was, Glenn couldn’t hide her disappointment immediately after hitting her final pose, grimacing and trying to hold back her emotions.—
Alice Park,
Time,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The nurse checked all your bells and whistles and plugged notes into your chart before noticing that the tape holding your breathing machine in place needed adjusting.—
Jasmin 'Iolani Hakes,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
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Start by checking into the 12-key Washington School House Hotel, a charming boutique property that puts you within walking distance of the best shopping and eating on Main Street.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Months later, police obtained the criminal warrants to arrest the suspect at his residence.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
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Lovely was arrested in connection with the stabbing and is also being treated at Atrium Hospital.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Yet Buzelis still is struggling to stamp his presence as the Bulls’ primary scorer and playmaker.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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That record ended up winning Best Rap Song at the 2026 Grammys, so, yeah, that moment is stamped forever.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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He was immediately taken aback to learn that the process required first squashing the breast flat.—
Erik German,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
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But Knight quickly squashed any attempts at trying to get her into the racing suit.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In August 2025, a judge concluded that Vedam had not been given a fair trial due to prosecutors’ efforts to suppress evidence.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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But dismissing or minimizing disappointment can unintentionally teach children to ignore or suppress emotions.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clamp down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clamp%20down. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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